Preparing to Leave For Russia: The Lists...

Failing to Prepare is preparing to fail- some dude ( My father says it all the time)

In order to prevent a hectic last minute frenzy of packing, I've decided to start compiling what I will bring for Russia. Now I'm sure this list may get tweaked a bit, but these lists are what I find to be the most useful and what I most frequently use in my daily life. The rule of thumb is to pack for one week if you are staying abroad for one semester.

Clothing

• Jeans (2-3 pairs)
• Beige Skirt (tights as well)
• Sweaters/Hoodies (2)
• T-shirts
• Long sleeve shirts (Make sure they are good for layering)
• Underwear (one week’s worth)
• Pajamas (2 pair)
• Warm slippers
• Socks (a week’s worth) (you should include a few pairs of wool socks if you’re going to colder climates)
• Swimsuit (Cant decide if I really should even bother...)
• One set of workout clothes
• Thermal underwear (silk preferably for colder climates or the adventurous sort)
• Coat/Jacket (water resistant with zip pockets and removable lining)
• One nice outfit (dress pants/skirt/dress) for special/formal occasions
• Decent walking shoes
• Boots
• Flip flops (especially for showering at hostels)
• Warm hat, gloves and scarf (for colder climates)

Toiletries

• Shampoo/Conditioner (SMALL Containers)
• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Disposable razors (and other shaving supplies)
• Brush/Comb (and hair ties)
• Tissues (highly recommended as many countries don’t keep toilet paper in stock in the bathrooms)
• Feminine Products (one month’s worth)
• Over-the-counter medicines (aspirin, anti-diarrhea, anti-nausea, etc.)
• Nail clippers and nail file
• Makeup
• (All these items need to fit in my toiletry bag)
• Jewelry container

Misc.

• Important documents (passport, visa, itinerary, plane tickets, etc.)
• $100 in local currency (make sure you have enough cash for a few days until you can find an ATM) [I recommend waiting to get this until you land in your host country, the exchange rate is almost always more favorable.]
• DVDs in light fold able case
• Small purse
• Small blanket
• Travel books for the region(s) you will visit
• Watch
• Sunglasses
• Laptop w/charger
• Camera w/cords and charger
• Adapters (changes the shape of the electrical plug) /converter (reduces or increases the current’s voltage)
• iPod, iPad & iTouch (especially for long plane/train rides)
• Playing Cards (good for long train rides and lighter than a pile of books)
• Journal (to write your memories in – writing really helps students deal with culture shock – some people suggest writing online, but generally you won’t be able to do that/might not have Internet access daily while you’re traveling so having something you can physically write in every day or night is a good idea)
• Thin lightweight towel (preferably microfiber so that it will dry fast when you’re traveling)
• Alarm clock (though a cell phone works well too)
• Enough prescription drugs for the length of your stay (You will need to check to make sure you can bring them into the country and that you have proper documentation, i.e. a doctor’s note)
• Backpack (for day trips and daily use) – You should use this as your carry-on so you’ll have less luggage.
• Small plastic bottles for toiletries for use in your carry-on or while traveling
• Refillable water bottle
• Pillow Pet *
• Small Umbrella
• Linens, bedsheets, and towels (Check with your program to see if these are provided, otherwise you may just want to buy them abroad because they tend to be heavy and take up a lot of room)

So why out of everything on that list was the pillow pet *ed? Because apparently pillows in Russia are as comfortable as lying on a log! The last thing I need is a bad back on my stay there. I'm going to do my best to try to not over pack. I always do for college and I don't use most of it. So for example, I'm only going to bring movies and DVDs I know I will use!